- Username
- Yasmin
- Date posted
- 5y ago
I struggle with false memories every day. Ocd has the power to distort and twist past memories. You can look up other stories on other forums simply google pocd and false memories, however it can be easy to get got up in the reassurance train. My only advice and one I struggle to apply every day, is recognize that trying to “remember” or ruminate just gives the ocd more power. It distorts the memories even more. Regular people who don’t have a memory of something wrong is enough to satisfy them. For ocd sufferers, absolute proof or certainty is the only thing that will satisfy us. Which is impossible. Also I don’t think you are a terrible person, even if you kissed a child or your brother. It would just be a kiss, and children do silly things. I certainly did. Try to relax, don’t focus on what’s real and what’s not real. Try to forgive yourself, even tho you don’t have proof it’s real, just practice forgiveness for yourself. Talking to God helps me. The more time you let pass practicing mindfulness to just let the false memories thoughts just pass by and not ruminate on them, the more easier it will be to believe the false memory is not real. And there are times I honestly am not sure if I can call mine false. And then times I’m convinced I could never be so horrible. That overwhelming feeling of doubt is the ocd. Best wishes friend xxxxx
One of the stranger things with it all. I’ll have a memory or flashback that i certainly did or a time i certainly felt well and great and I’ll have the thought that no i really didn’t, i know it’s false, everything about it is false BUT it feels legitimate. Then I’ve had to go back and think more and it turns into a cycle. I’ve been trying more so to just not even go back and legitimize the thoughts because if it truly was a problem then, i would’ve reacted then. It’s tough but going back over 1000s of times hasn’t gotten me anywhere.
Thank you so much to everyone who has replied. This has helped a lot knowing that I’m not alone. OCD is extreme key difficult because you’re constantly obsessing over everything and it literally interferes with a routine. OCD basically is my routine now. Thank you for the help, or really means a lot. I’m wishing you all the best too xxx
False memories are the hardest part about this disorder. I find that the better I get at treating them as intrusive thoughts the less real they feel and logic and reality sets back in! Stay strong and keep doing the exposures
It’s true, it’s a futile search to ruminate. I don’t think I have problems with my memory because I remember things from ages ago. If the harm or wrong we fear DID happen, it would be so emotional / or a big deal, we surely would have it burned in our brains.
I get false memories.. it's the absolute worst
Does anyone have false memory/real event OCD around the fear of being abused as a child? I know logically I wasn’t, but I recently had a random memory pop up from childhood, that my brain started thinking about and worrying that maybe I was abused. It has now turned into an absolutely horrible OCD obsession and I feel so alone. It consumes my mind 24/7. I KNOW the thought isn’t real, but I keep worrying what if I have repressed memories that I just forgot about? I never once have had the thought that I was abused. I have a wonderful relationship with this person and my biggest fear is believing this thought and ruining my life as well as there’s. It’s extremely scary
Has anyone experienced False memories with cheating ocd? I have this memory that I kissed a friend while I was super drunk but he said it didn’t happen and so did my other friend who was there. I’m terrified and feel awful and guilty and I don’t know what to do.
I read multiple articles on false memory ocd an now I’m confused. I actually thought that false memory ocd is marked by things that are actually completely fabricated by the brain. But I keep seeing things like „an event that may or may not have happened“, does this mean that it could actually be true? Are there any ways how to find out if what you’re going through is real if it’s an actual bad act? Because for me I have been completely focused on false memory ocd lately and while I was ruminating on another one, I suddenly got an image of sth even worse that could maybe be like 7 or 8 months ago. I never remembered this happening and for months I’ve been convinced I had never hurt anybody but then I got this image. I instantly also thought that this didn’t happen and that I would definitely remember if it had happened because it’s actually horrible and it’s not just something you would quickly do and then completely forget, it’s an actual entire act. And I never was close to that person. But I keep being like „but what if I listened to my intrusive thoughts? But I can’t remember doing that and I even have posts on here from around that time saying I was too afraid of that person and that I would never ever listen to my intrusive thoughts… but what if I tried to get rid of my ocd theme by doing this? Nah that’s not what I would do and I know that… I’ve never done any harmful things just to get rid of this theme this is stupid“ etc etc. Like I keep fearing I might’ve done this and done it for various reasons. But I can’t actually remember doing it. All those scenarios feel like they’re just imaginations. But I can’t let go of it. And usually for memories it’s that with time you start to be able to puzzle it all together trough evidence and u don’t forget bad things you’ve done. For example, I know that like a year ago I pushed my sister while I was having an argument with her. I remember everything from then because in my entire life I’ve barely ever done anything to others and so I usually remember those events almost 100% perfectly. I also remember sth from almost 10 years ago in which I called one of my friends (and ik this is bad, that’s why I remember it) fat. I lost a few details but I still remember what exactly I did and that the exact same day I called the parents and apologised bc I felt bad. But for this scenario, I’ve been ruminating on it for TWENTY days and I’m still in the doubting stage. I have spent hours ruminating by now and I still don’t have any actual memories back, just things like „but what if I was mad and then just did this and instantly forgot about it?“ and all this. But not an actual full scenario of me doing this even though it could only be a few months away. Idk what To do, I can’t continue living with the uncertainty. If it’s real, then I won’t even continue living. People like these are terrible and disgusting and don’t deserve living and everybody can agree on that.
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